


Giving Gifts

by cat_77



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2014-01-12
Packaged: 2018-01-08 10:32:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1131600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cat_77/pseuds/cat_77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes the thought is as important as the gift, if not more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Giving Gifts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tielan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/gifts).



> For Tielan for fandom_stocking.
> 
> * * *

"What is this?" May asked. She eyed the small box with trepidation, or possibly was thinking of the variety of weapons it held and/or could be made into, Skye wasn't exactly sure.

"It's commonly known as a present," she explained instead. She poked the little red ribbon as if to prove it wasn't about to explode. "I have no idea if any of you celebrate Christmas or any other wintertime holiday, but I know I always like opening things, even if it's something boring like gift certificates or underwear. If you don't, no harm and no foul and all that - think of it as a 'thank you for giving me a chance and saving my life like a dozen times' thing. If you do, Merry Whatever Holiday you celebrate."

It wasn't actually Christmas yet. It was three days prior and everyone was attempting some down time before something inevitably came up to destroy the Yuletide cheer. Skye didn't care; she had actually managed to get a small something for everyone with her newfound paycheck and wanted to see their reactions. So far, Fitz and Simmons loved the beaker-shaped shot glasses and were putting them to good use, Ward liked the eggnog spiced with Jack, and Coulson technically hadn't opened the old-school spy comics but smiled like he knew what was in the plain manilla envelope anyways.

Melinda tugged the top off of the small box warily, looked inside, and raised an eyebrow. "Is that?"

"It's a horse, yes," Skye said. Before May could protest, she quickly explained, "I know everyone calls you 'The Cavalry' and I did too before I realized it was a sore point, but this is based off of that whole terra-cotta army and it's not because I think you look like a horse or anything like that. Those things were buried because they represented great things, these awesome accomplishments of an awesome person that changed the lives of enough people that they thought to honor him in that way." She paused, not sure if she explained it right, and then added, "Plus, the cord is reinforced because you never know when you might need a garrote."

Melinda smiled, well, her version of a smile that looked more like a smirk, but Skye knew the difference. "Thank you," she said, and even sounded like she meant it.

The gift came in handy about six months later when May managed to free pretty much the whole team with minimal backup and only Jemma's little compass pendant and Skye's lock pick-shaped earrings for help. The baddies didn't think there was any danger in letting the "girls" keep their jewelry and were very quickly proven wrong.

The resulting gift certificate for Victoria's Secret didn't last nearly that long.


End file.
